Snake Eyes
by nightangel1
Summary: A change is in the air. Usagi's no longer Usagi. The only eternal senshi, not seen since the dawn of time, has returned. What does this mean?
1. Chapter One

Title: Snake Eyes  
Author: Hidden Angel  
Email: hitoshichan@bishoujosenshi.com  
AN: This was previously posted under an old author name. It -is- my story, just  
under a different author name than before.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Usagi looked at herself in disbelief, the reflection in the mirror  
shooting the look of utter shock and amazement right back to her widened  
yellowish green eyes. She could never believe she would do something such as  
this, but after Galaxia, and Mamoru never returning, she figured . . .  
'I suppose now is just as good a time as ever,' she thought, sadly.  
"Luna!" she called into her room, and the black cat promptly appeared at the  
bathroom door.  
"Usagi-chan!" she exclaimed in shock, looking over her charge,  
carefully. Her previously ankle-length blonde hair was now midnight black,  
completely pulled up into a single odango with a thick, armwidth braid hanging  
from it. Her face was no longer innocent, her legs longer and her curves more  
defined. The eyes were the most startling change. Previously a clear, sapphire  
blue that reflected the sky on good days, they were now pale, green lightened  
with flecks of yellow.  
Snake eyes.  
Luna shuddered as she saw the deviousness hidden behind the mask of  
indifference Usagi had pasted on. How different she was now, than the girl who  
has so gallantly defeated the ultimate evil in the universe no more than six  
months ago.  
Perhaps she hadn't paid enough attention. Surely, Usagi's heart would  
have been broken over Mamoru's absence. Even after all the starseeds had been  
returned, nobody had heard from him. Rei had refused to check the sacred fire,  
in fear of what she might find. The same went for Ami, she didn't want to be  
responsible for causing Usagi even more grief.  
Now the venom and poison Usagi contained towards whoever had kept Mamoru  
from her was immeasureable. Luna had even gone as far as to have Ami scan her  
for dark energy. While Ami had been shocked at the results, she had not shared  
any with Luna, though she assured the cat that Usagi was clear of dark energy.  
But clear from harm? That is what worried Luna, on this new escapade of  
Usagi's. Especially since the other scouts seemed to be keeping something from  
her . . . even Artemis, which is how she suspected the other scouts had gotten  
ahold of this new information.  
She'd have to have a talk with him later.  
"I'm ready to go, Luna," Usagi said, breaking Luna's train of thought.  
"Where are you going?"  
"To find Mamo-chan," Usagi replied, defiantly. "Mamma and Poppa think  
I'm going to be an exchange student for a year. In a sense, I am. I will be  
tutored while I am there, but I am no exchange student. I have a mission, and  
one that I will complete, even if it costs me everything."  
Luna's eyes widened, "Usagi-chan you can't!"  
"I must! Don't try and stop me, Luna! Tell the girls goodbye for me."  
She reached for her brooch. "Mother has bestowed a new power on me, one that  
will be of intense focus once the new enemy has risen. If I'm lucky, I'll be  
able to draw it away from you."  
"New enemy? Usagi-chan, sto,"  
She was cut off by an explosion of light with Usagi's next words.  
"Ethereal Moon, MAKE UP!"  
Luna squinted against the light that suddenly filled the small room, and  
backed back into the bedroom as to not get herself fried by the intense energy  
flowing throughout Usagi's being.  
When the light finally died down, Luna squeezed open one eye to survey  
the damage done. What she saw, shocked her.  
Standing before her, in all her glory, was the fabled sailor scout Queen  
Serenity had told her of, who would only exist in times of dire need.  
  
***FLASHBACK***  
  
"This scout, known as the Ethereal Moon Angel, was the very essence of  
the moon's spirit. She held the powers of the generations of so long ago, and  
more," Serenity spoke softly, looking down at the kitten she cradled in her  
arms. "It will be your job to search for her, when the time comes, Luna,"  
"How will I know when to start looking?" the tiny kitten's babyish voice  
floated up from the small black bundle.  
"The Ethereal Moon Angel's spirit and power will only be re-awakened in  
times of dire need. The last time this senshi was seen, was at the very dawn of  
time, when the Silver Millennium was created. Nobody knew where she came from,  
or where she went. Some say she was the creator, but we all know better,"  
Serenity said, her voice in a low whisper.  
"What is she like?"  
"Oh, Luna, so many questions . . . you will be a wonderful advisor to my  
heir, some day. The Ethereal Moon Angel holds a love so pure, and so strong,  
nothing can defy it. Not an ounce of hatred or darkness can consume her, though  
at times she may seem like it. She is very passionate about protecting those  
she loves, and those who she loves are everyone around her."  
"Very much like what you hope the princess will turn out to be some  
day?"  
"Very much, but there is one trait in the Ethereal Moon Angel that I  
wish my daughter will not have," Serenity continued, her voice growing strained.  
Her crescent moon shimmered, and glowed softly.  
"What's that?"  
"She will be, when she needs to be, a cruel and heartless murderer. The  
amount of killing she must do surpasses that of what Sailormoon, and the  
Sailorsenshi must do. It surpasses that of what the Senshi of Death and  
Destruction, the Saturn child, must do. She will have to destroy, then  
re-create a whole universe, using nothing but raw power."  
"She will have a strong heart, my queen."  
  
***END FLASHBACK***  
  
The woman who stood before Luna, was no longer Tsukino Usagi. No longer  
Eternal Sailormoon. And most importantly . . . no longer Princess Serenity.  
Her black braid whipped softly in an un-heeding breeze still flowing  
around her still form. The shimmering, shifting dress she wore was of a  
material no human eye had ever seen. Luna recognized it as material spun from  
only the finest of threads, silver intertwined with clear, but not so much to  
make the dress transparent  
It was as if a single strip of cloth wound from this angels neck down to  
her ankles, rather becoming transparent the further down it went. By the time  
it reached her ankles, it was as if the dress did not exist. An intricate  
pattern of stars, moons and feathers wove it's way through the hem and choker of  
the dress, matching the sapphire-inlaid pattern on the crystal staff she was  
holding.  
The staff itself was amazing enough. It was a clear crystal, the power  
flowing through it equivalent to that of the ginzuishou. On one end, it was  
softly rounded, only to twist up in elaborate patterns as if it was made of  
clear ribbons meshed together, and then splayed out at the top, colored ribbons  
of energy flowing from the tips.  
Liquid silver wings sprouted from the angel's back, their brilliance  
enough to cause Luna to shield her eyes again. A strange, silver glow  
surrounded her, and her pale yellow eyes portrayed the message they were meant  
to hold more than a millennium earlier, "Who wishes to stand in my way will  
ultimately meet the untimely death by my hand. My purpose is not to save, but  
to destroy, and raise the phoenix once more."  
The voice came loud and clear, and a rather shock to Luna's ears. She  
did not realize that the angel had spoken until she opened her eyes again and  
saw her looking down at her, a cold layer of ice covering her eyes.  
"Usagi-chan . . ." Luna whispered, and promptly bowed the best she could  
in feline form.  
"Get up, Luna. You have been good to me, and have prepared me well for  
the task I must now face. Warn the senshi, the Ethereal Angel of the Moon has  
been reborn, and so must they face the consequences of her wrath when the time   
of the silence comes. Please, tell Hotaru-chan she needn't worry any more. Her  
powers of death and destruction are no longer in her hands."  
With those final words spoken, the angel lifted her staff. She opened  
her mouth and screamed silent words, deaf to Luna's ears, and promptly  
disappeared into the quickly-approaching darkness of the inky night.  
  
******  
  
On the outskirts of town, Shinto Priestess Hino Rei was sweeping the  
temple grounds when a cold chill shot through her mind. She gripped the broom  
handle tightly, "Yuurichiro!" she called, her voice weak and strained,  
"Yuurichiro!" she cried one more time. The cold chills continued, coming with  
more and more pain, and fear.  
Never before had Rei experienced such fear.  
"Rei!" Yuurichiro cried, as he saw his fiancee loose her grip on the  
broom and slump to the ground in pain. He raced to her and knelt by her, only  
to see her gripping her head in pain and chanting the same thing over and over,  
"Serenity's the angel . . . Serenity's the angel . . ."  
Yuurichiro did the only logical thing he could think of to do. Sweeping  
his bangs out of his eyes, he scooped her into his arms and carried her to the  
safety of the temple, away from the cool night air.  
Outside, a star shot through the heavens and just as suddenly as the  
chills started, they stopped.  
"Yuurichiro?" Rei moaned, cracking open one eye to see him sitting by  
her side, his face etched in concern.  
"Rei, are you all right? You just . . . collapsed out there, what  
happened?"  
Rei attempted a laugh, but it came out as a bitter growl, "I wish I  
knew. One second I was sweeping the temple, and the next, I feel this cold  
chill, this feeling of dread . . . I couldn't hardly call your name, let alone  
speak."  
"You did say something . . ." Yuurichiro said, hesitantly.  
Rei arched an eyebrow at him, "Oh, did I really?" she said,  
sarcastically. "And just what did I say?"  
"You kept saying 'Serenity's the angel.' It was hard to understand,  
because you were mumbling,"  
"*What* did I say?" Rei hissed, her voice suddenly cold, but wavering.  
"Y . . . you said 'Serenity's the angel.' Rei-chan, what's going on?"  
"Usagi-chan!" Rei suddenly exclaimed, and leapt off of the mat and  
dashed out into the night once more.  
"Rei!" Yuurichiro shouted and shot after her, stopping when he saw Rei  
standing stock-still in front of him, staring hard into the distance. He stood  
next to her, prepared to catch her if need be.  
"Usagi-chan . . ." Rei whispered, and a hand flew to her mouth and she  
collapsed sobbing, "It was too late . . . I was too late to save her! Her soul  
may be forever lost!"  
"Rei, what's going on?"  
"Usagi-chan! It was her! Usagi-chan was the angel prophesized in the  
moon kingdom! The silence will be her judgment on this world . . . we have to  
warn the others!" Rei sobbed, leaning against Yuurichiro for support.  
"What? Rei, what are you rambling about?" Yuurichiro demanded as he  
gently lifted Rei back to her feet.  
"Usagi-chan is Sailormoon. She was the princess, but now, who knows  
what's going to happen? We'll need Sailormoon when the silence approaches, or  
all is lost. It may be already."  
  
******  
  
A loud, piercing sound along the lines of an alarm shattered the peace  
and quiet of a small, but cozy apartment. A slim, white hand shot out and  
landed on a small blue object on a bedside table. A second later, a soft light  
illuminated the room. Blinking tiredly, Mizuno Ami switched on her computer to  
find out what had triggered such a reaction.  
"S**t! MOTHER!" Ami cried when she read the readings. She leapt nimbly  
out of bed and dashed for her bedroom door, reaching it just as her mother  
opened it. She careened into her at such a speed it sent both of them tumbling  
to the ground.  
"Ami-chan! What's the matter with you?" her mother demanded, attempting  
to get herself up without tripping over Ami. It took a second before she  
realized that Ami was already up and racing for the dining room.  
"Mizuno Ami just *what* is going on here? And would you stop that  
racket! We're going to get the neighbors on our case if you don't!"  
"That's what I'm trying to do, mother!" Ami ground out as she grabbed a  
small substance from her sub-space pocket once she was out of visible range.  
The sound immediately muffled to a dull, but still annoying, beep.  
Ami stood in the middle of the living room, panting, as she quickly  
typed in line after line after line on her mini-computer. Her mother entered  
the room and watched her daughter curiously until she finally stopped.  
"Mother . . . I have something to tell you, and it may come as a shock,  
but trust me. It's real," Ami's voice came calm, but her mother detected and  
underlying note of fear in it.  
"Ami-chan, what is that?"  
"Just watch . . . and don't faint. Are you ready?"  
Ami's mother only nodded dumbly.  
"Mercury Star Power, MAKE UP!"  
When the transformation was complete, Ami's mom stood, gaping at her.   
"A . . . Ami-chan?" she stuttered.  
"That would be Sailormercury, in this form," Ami replied, smiling  
slightly. "We're in great danger. A great evil is rising, and it's going to go  
after Usagi-chan, but she no longer exists. So, we are the next best thing."  
"Usagi-chan no longer exists?"  
"That's only the beginning."  
"What?"  
"We, the senshi and our families, are currently bait for the pending  
silence."  
  
******  
  
Far across the Atlantic, in a small alleyway in a city called Boston, a  
brilliant light flared, a shooting star fell, and the angel stepped into  
reality. 


	2. Chapter Two

Title: Snake Eyes  
Author: Hidden Angel  
Email: hitoshichan@bishoujosenshi.com  
AN: This was previously posted under an old author name. It -is- my story, just  
under a different author name than before.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Everything's happening like it should be, Mamoru-san. Your precious  
girlfriend has just arrived," a woman, no more than twenty, purred into Mamoru's  
ear.  
"Fiancee," Mamoru bit out, and shook his head away from the woman,  
causing his dark locks to scatter across his face. His hands worked feverently  
at the ropes bonding them together, but so far was having no luck.  
The woman pursed midnight lips and blood red eyes narrowed, a small  
spark igniting in their depths at her captive's insolence. Her pale face was  
momentarily cast into shadows as she spun, sending waist length black pigtails  
slapping into Mamoru's face with such force they left red streaks across his  
cheek.  
Mamoru bit his lip to keep from crying out in pain. He saw the thin  
trails of blood making their way down his face through his peripheral vision,  
and immediately knew that his captor, at least, was not human.  
"Fiancee, girlfriend, same difference. This is even better for us, now  
isn't it, Mamo-chan?" the woman turned around and sat on Mamoru's lap, deftly  
straddling his waist.  
Mamoru lifted his eyes to meet his captors, and nearly looked away from  
the cold glint in those eyes that seemed to reflect off of the blood dripping  
down his face.  
She smiled evilly, "There is one disadvantage to not telling you my name  
yet, dearest," she whispered, running her hands down his chest and leaning in  
close to get her point across.  
"Oh?" Mamoru spat out, "Enlighten me."  
"Oh, I'll enlighten you, and so much more," the woman said, and wrapped  
her arms around his neck, pulling his face to hers. Her tongue made contact  
with the raw skin and slicked upwards, slowly, as if drinking in every molecule  
on her lips. As she continued to drink the blood, more and more poured out of  
the gashes and she began drinking in earnst, a blood hungry fervor driving her  
to the brink of madness.  
With one last swipe of her tongue, she stopped, as did the blood flow.  
Mamoru was now even paler than she was, if such a thing was possible. He looked  
at her with glazed eyes, though they were filled with hate and contempt.  
"One more step, my dear Mamo-chan, and it will be finished. You are now  
a part of me. Time to make me a part of you," the woman wrapped her fingers in  
his hair and pulled his face to hers once more, sealing the distance between  
them quite effectively with a flick of the wrist placing her own lips on his.  
At that same instant, the windows in the small room Mamoru was held  
captive in shattered, and a young girl tumbled in through them. Her blonde  
pigtails were streaked with dirt, and her face was ashen white. Her crystalline  
eyes widened in shock, but Mamoru could not see her. She walked over and  
attempted to push the woman off her love, but she found herself going right  
through her.  
As the girl looked on, Mamoru was drawn further into the web of evil  
than he ever had been before.  
  
******  
  
Naitono Mitsukai* looked around warily, the dashed from her alleyway  
hiding place, her boot heels making a soft clicking noise on the cement as she  
ran. She knew she must look like a fool, in what she was wearing. The more she  
thought about it, she realized she didn't know what she had de-trasnformed into.  
Finally, she stopped in front of a posh apartment building and checked  
her pockets. Sure enough, they were filled with credit cards and cash.  
'Whoever did this, I'll have to find them and thank them for being on my side,'  
she thought with relief, and stepped into the lobby, cat-like movements  
announcing her arrival along with a flash of rare, yellow eyes. It was late,  
and all eyes in the lobby were drawn to her.  
She walked up to the front desk, "Naitono Mitsukai," she said to the man  
at the front desk, "I,"  
"Ah, Miss . . . Naitono-san! Yes, yes, we have been expecting you," the  
short, balding man stuttered. "Your bags arrived earlier and are waiting in  
your room. Here's your EKC*. Please, enjoy your stay as long as you're here!"  
Mitsukai took the card from the man somewhat bewilderedly, but did not  
let it show on her face. Checking the card as she made her way swiftly to the  
elevator, she saw the number '3001' keyed on it. She literally punched the  
number for the thirtieth floor and waited as the elevator took her to her new  
home.  
As Mitsukai opened the door, she was more relieved than shocked to see a  
fully-equipped apartment at her disposal. She sighed in contentment and closed  
the door behind her. Curious as to her own appearance now, she crossed the room  
to what looked to be the bathroom and checked behind the door to see a  
floor-length mirror.  
The image that stared back to her, to say the least, came as a complete  
shock.  
'Will I ever get used to this change?' Mitsukai thought to her self.  
'No wonder those guys in the lobby were staring at me!' She was wearing skin  
tight leather pants and a plain black tanktop. As if that wasn't enough, both  
were accented by a pair of black leather boots and an ankle-length leather  
trenchcoat. Her pale face caused her facial features to stand out  
extraordinarily well, and her snake-like eyes were shocking to look into.  
'I look like something out of The Matrix,' she thought, somewhat  
disgustedly. She looked over herself once more, consideringly. 'Though, I  
*could* get used to this!' she thought to herself as she left the room. 'Now,  
to find my bags . . .'  
Turning down a hall, she went into the first room she found, which was,  
thankfully, the bedroom. Apparently, someone had taken the time to put all her  
clothes away so Mitsukai had no trouble at all finding something to sleep in.  
After shedding her leather ensemble, she slipped into silk pajamas and slid  
between satin sheets to begin a night of dreams.  
  
***FLASHBACK/DREAM***  
  
"Daughter, I fear what I must know is true."  
Seventeen year old Princess Serenity stared up at her mother, her eyes  
cold, blue slits. It wasn't often she let her temper get the better of her, but  
this was too much.  
"You, of all people, believe that fairy tale?" she exclaimed, rage  
building up inside of her at being called from her friends for a foolish whim.  
"It's no fairy tale, dear one . . ." the queen said, her voice lightened  
with a wry laugh, but ladened with fear and denial. "It's a legend that has now  
become real. You are a legend already, Serenity, and you have not had to do a  
thing. Your soul is a pure one, and that in itself has the entire kingdom up in  
arms."  
"Mother, I do not wish to be something I have no knowledge about. Who  
does? This is a foolish *fairy tale* mother! It cannot be so!" Serenity took  
a deep breath, "What king has made you so that you cannot tell reality from  
fantasy?"  
"ENOUGH!" The queen shouted. "Whether you wish it or not, it has been  
done! It is no fairy tale! Ask Luna and Artemis, they know of it too! They've  
been around long enough to have felt the very residue of her power left from the  
last time it was used!"  
Serenity was silenced. 'Luna and Artemis are *that* old?' she thought,  
incredously. "Wh . . . What?" she mumbled instead.  
"I wish I could postpone it, my child . . . but it is impossible to do  
so," the queen continued, her voice softer. "Just the fact that you have gained  
that power is enough to warn me of the pending doom upon our kingdom."  
"The kingdom will rise, no matter if I have the power of this 'Ethereal  
Angel' or not! You will see! Take the power away, I don't want it," Serenity  
hissed.  
"Serenity, to take that power away now . . . would be disasterous. The  
entire kingdom would fall apart beneath my hand because such immense power would  
have no place to go. That, or it would kill you straight out."  
"Then seal it away to a place where I can never access it again!"  
  
***END FLASHBACK/DREAM***  
  
Mitsukai was awakened by the incessent ringing of the door buzzer,  
alerting her that someone wanted to see her. Instinctively checking the bedside  
alarm clock, she found that it was already nearly ten in the morning.  
"Wow," she breathed, throwing off the covers and reaching for the robe  
she had placed nearby the night before, "That trip must have taken more out of  
me than I thought!"  
The buzzing continued, urging Mitsukai to hurry. "I'm coming, I'm  
coming!" she shouted, and hurried down the hall once more to the front of the  
apartment. After unlocking the slide latch and sliding her card through it once  
more, she opened the door to find a *very* handsome man on the other side.  
"Naitono Mitsukai?" the man asked, brushing black locks out of his face  
to reveal sparkling lavender eyes.  
Mitsukai scowled slightly at him, though she found herself captivated by  
those eyes . . . "Yes, who are you?" she bit out.  
"I am Jesse Hunter, the agent from Vogue? I met you about a week ago  
down in Japan . . ."  
A light, however artificial, dawned in Mitsukai's head, "Oh, yes!  
Mister Hunter, I apologize I did not remember that we had an appointment today .  
. ." she trailed off as she noted Jesse's amused look. "Is something the  
matter?"  
Jesse shook his head, "We had no appointment. You invited me to come  
visit some time if I was ever in the neighborhood. I should be the one  
apologizing for not calling first," he said, laughing.  
"Oh . . . well then no wonder I didn't remember having an appointment!"  
Mitsukai said, laughing. "Please, come in. Make your self at home! I'm afraid  
I still must get dressed so if you will hang on one moment . . ."  
Jesse nodded in agreement as he stepped into the cozy apartment and  
closed the door softly behind him. He slowly wandered through it as he waited  
for Mitsukai to return.  
Meanwhile, Mitsukai was busy running over possible scenarios in her mind  
as she changed, 'An agent from Vogue? Wanting to hang out with little old me?'  
she thought, a small scowl tugging at her lips, 'After last night I don't  
exactly find it hard to believe, but what power has been arranging everything?'  
She tugged on her tanktop from the night before and quickly slid into a  
pair of white jeans before exiting her room and hurrying her way back to the  
main rooms of the apartment.  
"Jesse, have you happened to had have breakfast yet? I could fix you  
something if you haven't . . ." Mitsukai trailed off as she entered one of the  
rooms she had yet to discover what it was. A number of pictures adorned the  
walls . . . one of her, she was sure, but she was somehow . . . different.  
"Mitsukai! A Kaiouh!" Jesse exclaimed, walking up to the picture of a  
blonde girl surrounded by crashing waves. He trailed his fingers along the  
frame as he studied the picture, "An original! Gods Mitsukai, how could you  
afford something like this? Everything, already?"  
'Already?'  
"Kaiouh Michiru and Ten'ou Haruka are good friends of mine. They are  
the ones who sponsored this trip out of Japan for me. It's only logical that  
they would leave me with some things to remember them both by," Mitsukai  
replied, almost automatically.  
Jesse's eyes widened in suprise, "Well this is certainly a shock.  
Mitsukai, I have a favor to ask of you," Jesse's abrupt change in subjects  
through Mitsukai somewhat off guard, but not enough to not understand what  
Jesse's favor was. "My company is having a dinner tonight, to discuss possible  
fresh faces . . . my reason for visiting you today wasn't entirely . . . social,  
I guess."  
What Jesse was saying flew through Mitsukai's mind, and ignited a number  
of thoughts. 'Not entirely social? What does he want and what does it have to  
do with me?'  
"I want you to come with me to the dinner tonight. As far as I know,  
nobody on staff knows any possibilities personally, but when I saw you on that  
beach . . . I knew you'd be perfect," Jesse continued, his voice now hinting a  
somewhat softer tone. "Especially with those eyes," he brought up, "Those eyes  
have a certain . . . mysterious attractiveness to them. You could have every  
guy on this planet aching to know your story."  
Internally, Mitsukai's eyes narrowed, 'Do I *want* every guy on this  
planet aching to know my story?' a thought occurred to her, 'Do *I* even know  
my story?'  
Externally, Mitsukai feined suprise, "You . . . want *me* to come with  
you tonight????" She exclaimed in shock. "You're kidding!"  
Jesse's lavender eyes lit up as he smiled at Mitsukai's shock, "I'm not  
kidding, Mitsukai. I want you to come tonight. I'll pick you up around  
six-thirty, all right? Wear something formal, though. It's a fancy, very  
high-class restaraunt."  
Mitsukai nodded dumbly and followed Jesse back to the front door,  
"Thanks," she mumbled.  
"By the way," Jesse started, "What does your name mean? Your full  
name," he asked.  
Mitsukai was somewhat startled by this question and put her brain back  
into full working order, "My name? You want to know what my name means?" she  
asked, and laughed. "You know you are the only person who's bothered to ask me  
that?"  
"Well?"  
"Don't laugh," Mitsukai said, still slightly giggling herself, "but it  
means Heavenly Angel of the Night."  
Jesse nodded and turned back to the door, "Good possibilities. I'll see   
you at six tonight, Mitsukai. Be ready!"  
  
******  
  
Luna panted hard as she raced down the streets of Tokyo towards where  
she *hoped* Artemis would be waiting for her. They had agreed long ago that if  
something should happen to Usagi, they would meet together first before they  
went to the girls with the news. The way news spread in Tokyo, Luna wouldn't be  
suprised if the whole country knew about the mysterious explosion at the Tsukino  
household the night before.  
Reaching the appointed place, Luna stopped to catch her breath before  
she looked around for Artemis. When she looked up, she was met with the gazes  
of eight wary senshi and one worried cat.  
"Artemis? I thought we agreed to meet alone!" Luna barked, her red eyes  
blazing with the intense fury of being betrayed. She suddenly knew the whole  
story.  
They knew already. They had known all along.  
Even more shocking . . . so had she.  
"With each enemy that rose, the signs became more and more obvious. She  
hid them from you well, Luna, but she couldn't hide the change from us," Artemis  
said, softly.  
"The scans you asked me to take of Usagi-chan showed that her entire  
structure was changing, her entire being. That's what clinched it for us," Ami  
said, "That's why I didn't tell you right away what I had found."  
"I'd seen this in the sacred fire so long ago, before Sailormoon even  
existed. I knew who Usagi-chan was because I'd seen her on the street, but I  
never thought it would come true like this," Rei said, somewhat apologetically.  
"That's why I was always so hard on her . . . so, maybe, it'd stop the spirit  
from emerging."  
Luna looked to Makoto and Minako, and they both shrugged, looking down  
at her with sad looks. "We are so sorry, Luna," Minako said, and bent down to  
scoop the black cat into her arms.  
"You all knew?" Luna asked, aghast. "You all knew who she was, and you  
never told me?"  
The group remained silent, but their somberness gave away the answer.   
Luna jumped out of Minako's arms and stood, back to the group as she thought,  
'Why would they keep this from me? From her?'  
"It wouldn't have done any good, Luna," Artemis said, his voice  
strained, "If anything, it would have made it worse. We only noticed how  
quickly she emerged in relation to how hard Rei-chan was on her a couple of  
months ago."  
"I have a few suprises of my own, senshi," Luna said, harshly, and  
lifted her chin, "I recognized her power the very first time she held to it.  
The very first time it came to her, she did not know, but I did,"  
Artemis stared at her, shocked, but let her continue. He knew when he'd  
lost a fight.  
Luna, not noticing Artemis's and the other senshi's shocked looks,  
continued in a heated anger, "When she began feeling this new power, she was  
scared. She considered telling you guys, but I knew I would have to explain  
things far before I really wanted to. Before she would want to, and she wasn't  
ready to know yet,"  
"She still isn't," a soft voice said.  
Luna stopped mid-rant to look up into the burning fuschia eyes of  
Sailorpluto. "What do you mean?" she demanded.  
"She's already completed the change, but she has not regained full  
memories yet. She's already the Eternal Kingdom's creator, but she has no  
memory of her purpose," Sailorpluto continued, her red eyes flashing in concern  
for her princess.  
"I see," Luna said. "I know she recieved some reccolection of her past  
in dreams before she left . . . I knew it, but I didn't want to believe it and I  
figured leave well enough alone . . . I didn't want to bring on the change too  
quickly."  
Setsuna shook her head, "No matter what you would have done, it would  
have still happened this way. The demon-child has already been released, and  
someone has to be there to stop it."  
The senshi had been watching the exchange between Luna and Setsuna in  
silence, and once it was finished, they had no sense of what could be said to  
lighten the situation.  
"Serenity was my charge, and I sense her power even here. I must find  
her before she destroys herself . . . and everyone around her."  
"I'm free?" a small voice spoke up.  
Setsuna and Luna both turned to the small girl who'd been hanging at the  
back of the group. Hotaru.  
Setsuna bent down to the girls level and took a hand in hers, "Not  
necessarily, Hotaru-chan. Usagi-chan may not have recieved full power yet. She  
draws from each of us. As we are a part of her, so is she a part of us. You  
will know when you are freed," she said, softly as to not frighten the small  
girl.  
Hotaru nodded.  
"I must go, now. Setsuna-chan, please . . . open a portal to the states  
for me."  
  
AN:  
*Naitono Mitsukai=Heavenly Angel of the Night  
*EKC=Electronic Key Card 


	3. Chapter Three

Title: Snake Eyes  
Author: Hidden Angel  
Email: hitoshichan@bishoujosenshi.com  
AN: This was previously posted under an old author name. It -is- my story, just  
under a different author name than before.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Mitsukai paced nervously in her room as she waited for Jesse to come  
pick her up. She'd finished getting ready more than a half an hour ago, and  
still had at least fifteen minutes before Jesse said he'd be there. She looked  
at herself in the mirror once more.  
She'd opted to take her hair out of the braid just for the night, and  
now it flew around her softly, tight ringlets framing her face and blending in  
with the sheer fabric of her dress. The dark blue material shifted with each  
movement and the diamond on the velvet choker glinted in the light. Her eyes  
had taken on an icy blue tint, strange enough, that sent chills through Mitsukai  
herself.  
The dress accented her curves and left almost nothing to the  
imagination. She had at first considered it a little much for the nights  
events, but then changed her mind when she realized just *who* she'd be meeting  
at the dinner.  
Mitsukai gulped once more when she heard the buzzer ring and grabbed her  
purse from her bed. She walked quickly towards the door and hesitated slightly  
before opening it.  
Jesse was stunned to silence when Mitsukai opened the door. 'Her name  
certainly fits her in that dress . . .' he found himself thinking, letting his  
gaze sweep over her still form.  
She blushed under Jesses intense gaze, "Will this be all right for  
tonight?" she asked, softly.  
"What? Oh, yes, that's perfect! You'll knock them dead in that!" 'You  
almost did that to me!' Jesse held out a hand and Mitsukai slid a gloved arm  
through the crook of his and they walked out of the apartment, closing the door  
securely behind them.  
  
"Mamo-chan, be patient! I'm sure Jesse will be here, soon!"  
"Kijo-chan, you do not understand. This is not the first time he's been  
late to a meeting! This could decide the very future of our magazine, and he's  
LATE!"  
The raven-haired woman scowled slightly, "You've been under so much  
stress with this whole 'new covergirl' deal . . . take some time off, and I'll  
be sure to make it worth it to you," she whispered seductively into his hear.  
Mamoru sighed and looked over to his fiancee, "All right, Ki-chan," he  
said, "Once we find our new covergirl and decide how we're going to handle it,  
I'll take a couple of weeks off."  
Kijo smiled deceptively, 'Everything is going as planned. Now, just  
have to wait for Usagi-chan to show up!'  
"Sorry I'm late, Mister Chiba!" a voice from across the restaurant  
called. "I had to pick someone up,"  
"I thought we agreed this would be a *private* meeting, mister Hunter,"  
Mamoru bit out.  
"Well, yes, but I have a woman I want you to meet. I mentioned I'd met  
her down in Florida, remember? You said you wanted to meet her, too . . ."  
Jesse stuttered.  
Mitsukai smiled at Jesse's sudden nervousness and turned her attention  
to the black-haired man already sitting at the table. When he looked up at her,  
she almost gasped. Steel blue eyes stared back at her from under thick locks,  
but they were cold and empty.  
"Well, aren't you going to introduce us?" Mamoru said, harshly.  
"Oh! Yes, Mitsukai-chan, this is Chiba Mamoru, president of Vogue.  
Mister Chiba, Naitono Mitsukai."  
Mitsukai blinked as Mamoru held out his hand for her to shake.  
'Mamo-chan?' she thought, and gaped as he noticed the woman sitting next to him  
. . . holding his hand and a bright, showy diamond resting on her ring finger.  
"A pleasure, Naitono-sama. This is my fiancee, Gimanno Kijo.*  
Assistant Editor for reasons unknown, but she gets the job done," Mamoru said, a  
joking smile on his lips.  
'Fiancee?' Mitsukai thought in alarm, 'That woman is his *finacee?* And  
how did he manage to become President of a . . . magazine so quickly? He was  
studying to become a doctor!'  
"Same here . . . Chiba-san," Mitsukai managed to choke out, slipping a  
gloved hand into his to shake it carefully. She held his gaze in a steady one  
of her own as he slowly increased the pressure and she did not flinch. "If  
you're trying to prove something, Chiba-san," she said, coldly, "I would suggest  
you stop now . . . I, in fact, have a message to you from Kaiou Michiru that  
would be most intriguing to you."  
Mamoru immediately dropped Mitsukai's hand and flushed, "I apologize,  
Mitsukai-chan. Please, take a seat. Jesse, help her."  
Jesse nodded and immediately went around to help Mitsukai take her seat,  
and sat next to her, across from Kijo. He looked back and forth between the two  
and noticed thick vibes radiating from Mitsukai every time she looked in Kijo's  
direction. The flashes of red she saw snaking through her eyes didn't help  
much, either.  
"Are you all right, Mitsukai-chan?" he finally whispered, leaning over  
slightly to diguise his words from Kijo's and Mamoru's ears.  
Mitsukai nodded mutely, but his words had not registered with her.   
'Gimanno Kijo? Something must have happened to Mamo-chan to have him . . .  
marry someone with that meaning behind them. I don't like the vibes I'm getting  
from her.'  
Mamoru and Jesse had become engrossed in a deep conversation about her  
possibilities, so Mitsukai merely sat there, looking mildly interested in what  
was going on. She felt a cold chill pass through her and turned to see Kijo  
staring at her. She smiled slightly in a small gesture of friendship, but Kijo  
only sneered at her and turned her attention to Mamoru.  
'Where is that girl? I wanted to get my plan put into action *tonight!*  
Jesse was supposed to have met Usagi-sama in Japan, not this twit!' Kijo  
thought, furious. Her eyes flashed in anger and she clenched a small orb in her  
hand. 'Oh, well,' she thought, smiling cynically, 'I can still gather energy,  
just not as much without her magical energy to add to my collection.'  
"Excuse me," she said as she stood up, openly fingering the small orb in  
her hand. Mamoru looked up at her and smiled, "You never leave that anywhere,  
do you, Ki-chan?" he asked, his voice low, seductive.  
Kijo merely smiled and kissed him softly before heading towards the  
bathrooms located at the back of the restaraunt. Once she had shut and bolted  
the door behind her and made sure there was nobody else in there, she held up  
the small, clear bluish ball to the light. A black form shifted within it and  
with a few softly spoken words from Kijo's mouth, the black form exploded and in  
seconds, was standing before Kijo.  
"Ah, trusty youma. Do me a favor and teleport some place . . . obvious,  
and start attacking the patrons here to get their energy. Just please, don't  
get as out of control as that last one, or else I'll have to take measures to  
ensure it won't happen again!" Kijo said, and laughed evilly as her form  
shifted. Her warm eyes slid away to reveal cold, red glass.  
She quickly teleported after the youma after making herself invisible to  
watch her work.  
Mitsukai and Mamoru were engaged in a rather deep conversation when a  
scream pierced the quietness of the restaraunt. The initial scream was quickly  
followed by others, and a mass of chaos, and scared people.  
Mitsukai quickly stood but Jesse yanked her back down towards the  
ground. "Stay low!" he hissed, and slowly began creeping his way towards the  
door.  
'I have to stay here, Jesse!' Mitsukai mentally screamed and quickly  
stood once more, turned, and ran the other direction.  
"Mitsukai-chan!" Jesse shouted, and was torn between escaping with his  
boss, or following Mitsukai to make sure she was all right. Mamoru made the  
decision for him, "Forget her! She can take care of herself, I've seen people  
like her before."  
Jesse looked at Mamoru doubtfully, but wasted no time in following him  
towards the exit as quickly as he could. He said a quick prayer for Mitsukai  
before slipping out of the chaos and into the night.  
Mitsukai slipped into a private dining room and closed the door firmly  
behind her. 'Where did that youma come from?' she thought, panicked. She  
closed her eyes and focused on her core, then reached for the power when she  
felt it fill her. "Ethereal Moon, MAKE UP!" she shouted, and was immediately  
surrounded in power and energy, coursing through her like an electric current.  
When she finally stopped, she burst out into the main room of the  
restaraunt and looked around to find out where the youma went. She heard  
screams clear at the other end of the restaraunt and ran down to inspect the  
damage being done.  
When she arrived, she nearly keeled over. This youma's method of  
operation was much more cruel than any she had ever seen. Blood slicked the  
floors and spattered the walls, and the youma was still on its bloody rampage.  
Ethereal Moon quickly regained her composure and set about distracting  
the youma. "Who wishes to stand in my way will ultimately meet the untimely  
death by my hand. My purpose is not to save the lives of those who destroy, but  
to deliver justice, and raise the phoenix once more. It is this phoenix that  
will be your ultimate destruction. The Ethereal Angel of the Moon has been  
reborn, and so must you face the consequences of my wrath!"  
All became silent in the restaraunt at her quietly spoken, but  
thundering words. The youma dropped it's latest victim, blood still spurting  
from a fresh chest wound, to turn towards Ethereal Moon. It's eyes regarded her  
carefully, and narrowed into tiny slits when it recognized who she was.  
"Ah, so we have a smart youma here? Let's see how smart you are when  
you face my powers!" Ethereal Moon shouted, and reached her staff towards the  
ceiling.  
The youma only sneered at her, heedless of her threats, and turned back  
to his victims.  
"Spirits of the universe, send me your power to banish this brutal  
murderer! May I destroy it on the behalf of the moon!"  
"Hold it, angel-girl," a harsh voice said.  
Ethereal Moon looked up at the person the voice belonged to, and  
immediately dropped her staff. "Yamiko Seizui,*" she bit out, glaring at her  
long-hated nemisis.  
Seizui immediately recognized her eternal enemy and grinned widely,  
though inside she was greatly shaken. 'She wasn't supposed to be here!' she  
thought, furiously. 'It was supposed to be the moonbrat, Sailormoon!' "Oh,  
what a nice suprise," she said, grinning even wider to show her fangs, "The Moon  
Angel. Where's your little patron, Sailormoon?"  
Ethereal Moon sneered, "Right here," she said, her voice dripping with  
contempt.  
Seizui's eyes widened in suprise, 'No, this can't be . . . Serenity's  
daughter . . . Princess Serenity is the Moon Angel?' Seizui thought, terrified.  
'I must get out of here. Who knows how many of her memories have returned . .  
.'  
*Enough have returned for me to know everything you're thinking,  
Seizui!*  
Seizui swallowed hard and glared at Ethereal Moon, 'Then I suppose you  
know why you're here?'  
*You're even more stupid than I remember.*  
'Must not remember much, then.' Seizui thought back, and smirked.  
'Either that, or you're too stupid to remember.'  
*You just watch your step.*  
With that, Ethereal Moon sent the blast of energy she'd been holding to  
Seizui's right hand, which was still clutching the orb the youma had been  
contained in. With the destruction of it's energy source, the youma dropped to  
the ground, dead. "If I ever see you again, Seizui, that youma will be you."  
With a flick if her wrist, and a flash of her eyes, Ethereal Moon  
disappeared into a cloud of mist.  
  
*Gimanno Kijo=Demoness of Deceit  
*Yamiko Seizui=Essence of Darkness 


	4. Chapter Four

Title: Snake Eyes  
Author: Hidden Angel  
Email: hitoshichan@bishoujosenshi.com  
AN: This was previously posted under an old author name. It -is- my story, just  
under a different author name than before.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Mitsukai listened to the phone ring endlessly before her answering  
machine finally picked it up in her place. She listened to her tired voice,  
muffled through the pillow she held over her head, until she heard it click over  
to the caller.  
"Hey, Mitsukai? Um, this is Jesse. Just calling to find out if you're  
all right, you know. After that youma attack and you ran off . . . well nobody  
saw you, so," there was a pause, and Mitsukai could hear Jesse taking a breath,  
"When . . . if you get this, please call me back soon."  
Seconds later, Mitsukai grimaced as the loud beeping of the machine  
pierced through to her sensative ears, announcing that Jesse had hung up the  
phone.  
'I have got such a headache . . .' she thought, and cringed again as a  
shot of pain pierced her mind. 'Seizui-baka finally powered down? Wonder what  
she was up to last night . . .'  
Suddenly, Mitsukai sat straight up in her bed, "KAMI! What time is it?"  
she exclaimed to herself and promptly rolled off the bed. She groaned as she  
pulled herself up to look blindly at the clock. She blinked a few times to get  
the numbers in focus and when she did, she cursed to herself.  
'No wonder I have a headache . . . after yesterday, I haven't eaten in  
nearly twenty four hours!' she cried to herself, and let her head flop back onto  
the bed, resting sagely on her arms. 'Something's different about Seizui-baka  
this time . . . she's stronger, as if that was possible. Yet, so am I . . .'  
she laughed bitterly to herself, 'Over three thousand years in exile *would* do  
that to her. Twice that for myself.'  
-You are not who you were, Mitsukai-chan.-  
Mitsukai blinked and raised her head, looking around slowly for the  
voice that had penetrated her reviere. 'Huh? What was that?'  
-You have changed more in the ten thousand years since the Silver  
Millennium was created than I had in the thousand it took for me to be re-born.-  
"What? Who are you? I'm confused, I *was* Usagi-chan, wasn't I?"   
Silence, "WASN'T I?"  
-This change could prove disastrous. Hold on to your innocent heart,  
Mitsukai-chan. It . . .- the voice faltered, -It may be . . . it may be the  
only thing,- the voice faded again.  
"The only thing what? Who are you?" Mitsukai demanded to the air.  
-It may be the only thing to keep me alive . . .- the voice responded  
weakly, then it was gone.  
Mitsukai stood up slowly and stretched. Her shoulders and back resisted  
rather painfully, but moved anyway. Stifling a yawn, Mitsukai slowly shuffled  
into her bathroom and blanched when she saw that she was *still* in her dress  
from the night before.  
She splashed some cold water on her face in an attempt to wake herself  
up after the long night. She changed into a comfortable pair of jeans and a  
loose sweatshirt before going to see who all had called her while she was  
asleep.  
Entering the kitchen, she blinked in suprise at the rapid flashing of  
the message light. She couldn't even manage to count how many times it blinked  
before pausing, and returning to it's rapid-fire pace. Attempting to do so only  
made her headache worse.  
Finally deciding on what to do, Mitsukai hit the play button and  
proceeded to fix herself dinner.  
"Naitono-san, um . . . I heard you go out last night but I never heard  
you come in . . . then I heard about the youma attack at the restaraunt you said  
you were going to. I checked with the hospitals but you weren't checked into  
any of them. I just wanted to make sure you were all right."  
Her landlord. Mitsukai smirked as she listened to him drone on some  
more. 'Just one of the many advantages of your apartment being right next to  
his . . .' she thought.  
The next few messages were really obscure. All it was, was a fading  
dialtone. Though it wasn't a normal dialtone. There was an obvious, steady  
beep through it. 'Morse code?' Mitsukai thought, confusedly. She quickly  
dismissed her head of that thought, 'Too regular to be morse code. What coudld  
it be, though?'  
The next message cleared up her questions. "Oh, um, Mitsukai-chan . .  
." a small voice said.  
Mitsukai's ears immediately perked up when she heard it, 'I know that  
voice!' she thought, frantically. 'I know it!'  
"Mitsukai-chan, this is Tsukino Kanshisha* from Tokyo. I got your  
number from an old friend of yours, Meiou Setsuna," Mitsukai's eyes widened at  
Setsuna's name and she momentarily stopped fixing her dinner.  
'Tsukino Kanshisha? What the hell?'  
"So, I was wondering if," the message was cut off by Mitsukai abruptly  
hitting the forward button on the machine.  
'Tsukino Kanshisha. Who the hell is that?' Mitsukai thought as the  
other messages played through. Despite the abnormal nature of them, their  
meaning in entirety didn't quite enter her mind until the second to last message  
played.  
"Mitsukai-chan! This is Chiba Mamoru from Vogue magazine. I must admit  
after that little stunt you pulled last night I was somewhat hesitant to take  
you on . . . but I believe it will be well worth our efforts,"  
'Kami-sama, he couldn't know, could he? He couldn't be involved!  
Mamo-chan, what's happened to you?'  
"So, if you have the time please call me at the office whenever it's  
convenient . . ." Mamoru's voice faded off as Mitsukai slid down to her knees by  
the phone, suddenly oblivious to her surroundings. The ticking of the clock on  
the opposite wall filled her mind.  
-A bomb is set to go off, Mitsukai-chan.- a small voice whispered to her  
mind.  
'But where is it, and what can be done to stop it?'  
-Do your friends even remember you? Are you all alone again? You didn't  
fare well by yourself when you first became Sailormoon, did you?-  
'Yes, but things are different, now. I am not who I was.'  
-Exactly. It is that, which shall destroy you and everything you try so  
hard to save.- the voice said, now taking on a somewhat sinister tone.  
Mitsukai scowled, but allowed her mind to be drawn further into the  
conversation. -Seizui is very powerful. You'd be best to leave well enough  
alone.-  
'She is nothing that I haven't faced before. She may have power, but I  
have so much more.'  
-Just what do you have left? Mamoru, Endymion has betrayed you for her  
fascade.-  
Mitsukai's eyes widened in shock and she wrenched her mind quite  
painfully from the connection. "NO!" she shouted out loud. She pounded her  
hands on the ground and her anguished screams filled the apartment.  
"Mitsukai! Mitsukai, are you all right?" a calm voice rang like music  
through Mitsukai's ears and as she slowly raised her head, a soft glow engulfed  
her and her tear-streaked face was immediately cleared of the stains.  
"Serenity . . ." she breathed, as the glow receeded from her to  
concentrate on an area in front of her. The ginsuishou (which was still in her  
posession, despite her most recent kaihen*) floated in the center and expanded  
to the form of Serenity.  
"Mitsukai-chan, it's an honor to finally be in your presence," Serenity,  
still engulfed in the immense light, bowed slightly and remained in that  
position until the light had faded. "I have heard many stories of your  
conquests, passed down since the beginning of the Silver Millennium."  
Mitsukai blushed slightly, though she felt a strange stir of power draw  
up within her. She scowled as she attempted to quelch the power, but it would  
not receed. "Why are you here, Serenity?" she demanded, her voice harsh and  
cold. "Do not tell me there is an additional battle aside from Seizui-baka that  
I must face."  
Serenity smiled softly, "I have heard your cry for help, dear one . . ."  
she said, almost hesitantly. "I'm afraid I cannot do much, as I am only a  
priestess and patron of yours now," small signs of nervousness took over  
Serenity's form and Mitsukai relaxed almost instantly at these small breaks of  
composure. "Yet, I have bestowed my powers upon a warrior here that may be of  
some use . . . her spirit is very much in tune with my daughters, and what yours  
must be for this to occur."  
"Nani?" Mitsukai asked, scowling at the woman before her, "For what to  
occur?"  
Serenity smiled wider, "Didn't you know?" she asked, true innocence, but  
pleasure, spreading across her features. "You, warrior, are the Eternal  
Kingdom's creator. While this . . . amazing display of order and spectacularity  
is no work of yours, the kingdom that will rise from it will be. You will need  
help to keep the balance of power in order until you achieve your balance."  
Mitsukai looked at Serenity in shock. "Why didn't I know of this?" she  
demanded.  
"The heart will tell you many things if you choose to listen. But  
remember, you are not who you once were. The balance that must be achieved, as  
of now, is nearly impossible. Don't loose heart, Mitsukai-chan. Naraku* is  
depending on you."  
With those words spoken, the light faded once more into the small gem  
that dropped to the floor in front of Mitsukai and shattered into millions of  
pieces. Mitsukai, however, felt more at peace with it's state than any time  
she'd had it in her possession. 'A token of Serenity's promise. Her power is  
no longer accessible by the beholder of the crystal. It must now be bestowed.  
And I must find this new warrior before Seizui does,' she thought, darkly.  
  
The inner senshi and Artemis all stared, mouths agape, at the spot where  
the outers and Luna once stood. "Ami-chan," Minako started, slowly, "What just  
happened here?"  
Ami was already typing furiously at her mini-computer as the question  
was asked. Suddenly, she stopped and reached into her pocket to pull out a  
small, ice-blue cellular phone. She tossed it deftly to Makoto and resumed her  
frantic search for answers. "Mako-chan," she started, "Call my mother. We're  
going to need her help in doing what we need to do."  
"Ami-chan, your mother?" Rei asked, her voice serious. "How are we  
going to get past her?"  
"She already knows," Ami bit out, and growled slightly at the numbers  
that were being shot back at her in such rapid sequence she couldn't get a clear  
fix on their meaning. "I had to tell her last night when this blasted thing set  
off. It just had a similar reaction when that portal sucked the outers and Luna  
through."  
Artemis watched the goings on with slight shock. He never thought it  
was possible that Luna, of all people, had known of Usagi's true future the  
whole time. 'It was all a façade? Did she purposely put on that face of hers .  
. . did Usagi-chan know about this, too?' he thought, distractedly.  
-An American president once said "If I had another face, do you think I  
would wear this one?" It is very true, Artemis. More true than you might  
imagine.-  
"So, she didn't know . . ." Artemis mused to himself, unheeding of the  
sudden message that had just been put into his mind.  
A muttered curse broke his train of thought and he looked sharply up at  
Minako, who blushed. "Sorry, Artemis-kun, but Ami just told us all something  
quite shocking."  
Artemis looked at Ami in curiosity, "What did you find, Ami-chan?" he  
asked, softly. "Did you locate the outers, and Luna?" His voice was  
authoritative, but Minako detected an underlying hint of sadness, and despair,  
when he mentioned Luna's name.  
Ami shook her head slowly, but her typing had not slowed. "I found a  
hint about this Ethereal Angel of the Moon that might help us, though," she  
muttered, and stared hard at her mini-computer as it scrolled more information  
during a pause in her sequential typing.  
"Apparently, there was an old enemy of hers that prevented her from  
creating the Eternal Kingdom back a few thousand years after the Creation," she  
mused, "The angel, just called Mitsukai at the time, managed to banish this  
enemy at the least, but she did not have the energy to create the Eternal  
Kingdom. In order to sustain her power, she had to have some sort of a source,  
so the ginsuishou was created."  
Rei scowled and turned to Ami, "So you're saying that a perfect  
stranger, this woman we know nothing about, can use the power of the  
ginsuishou?"  
"We hardly don't know this woman, Rei-chan!" Makoto barked, slapping the  
phone closed and entering the conversation with ease, "This woman is Usagi-chan,  
you're best friend!"  
Rei shook her head, "It's not, Mako-chan. Usagi-chan has separated from  
her body and only her soul remains. Her mind, memories . . . everything has  
separated," she took a breath, "Who knows what would be happening right now if  
she hadn't."  
The others grew quiet at this sudden revelation, but agreed with Rei  
that it was best.  
"If it's Usagi-chan's soul, we should still have nothing to worry  
about," Makoto said, softly.  
"Let's let Ami-chan finish what she has to say, first, minna," Artemis  
said, his voice growing roughly soft. The group turned back to Ami in  
respectful silence.  
"As I was saying, she created the ginsuishou in order to sustain her  
power. It was around the ginsuishou that the Silver Millennium was created.  
The first Serenity vaguely knew of Mitsukai's existence, but believed she was  
only a legend. Artemis-kun, this may come as a shock . . ."  
"Luna and I were born from the same power, Ami-chan . . . it comes as no  
surprise to me that she and I would not be considered 'earth' cats. Or  
Lunarian, for that matter," Artemis stated, his eyes downcast. "She and I have  
a lifespan of many, many thousands of years. Longer than Usagi-chan will live  
as Queen . . . if she ever takes the throne, that is."  
"What do you mean, if she ever takes the throne?" Rei demanded. "Of  
course she'll take the throne! Sailorpluto promised us that!" she shouted.  
Ami shook her head doubtfully, "She may have promised that, Rei-chan,"  
she said, softly, "But that doesn't mean that with this new train of events,  
things in the future could now be drastically different."  
"Not unless she dies," another voice popped up. Six heads swiveled to  
see the newcomer.  
"Who are you?" Makoto demanded, glaring at the tall woman before her.   
"How long have you been listening in on our conversation?" Makoto's eyes flashed  
a mysterious light as she popped her knuckles.  
The woman smiled wryly and bowed respectfully in greeting, "Tsukino  
Kanshisha," she said, simply. "I believe Artemis-kun knows of me . . ."  
Artemis stared up at the woman in surprise, "Tsukino Kanshisa, you say?"  
he asked, a considering look on his face. As the woman nodded, Artemis grinned  
broadly, "Senshi, this woman is a survivor from the moon kingdom. Somehow she  
survived Beryl's attack and was in a dimensional suspension until Setsuna-sensei  
found her. Setsuna-sensei warned me of her existence when she freed her."  
"Warned, Artemis-kun?" Kanshisha said, jokingly. "I would hardly think  
she warned you. More like scared the heck out of you."  
Artemis blushed the best a cat could blush and glared up at Kanshisha,  
"And I suppose you fared much better when you learned of your homes fate?"  
Kanshisha tossed reddened chestnut hair over her shoulder and green  
flames literally shot from her eyes to Artemis. "We all went through that,  
Artemis-kun. I consider myself very lucky to be alive, as you should to. But  
instead, you're more worried about when you'll finally have peace!"  
"That is what was always wanted in the Silver Millennium,  
Kanshisha-sama," Ami spoke up. "With the one who created the Silver Millennium  
re-born now . . . the moon's wishes are now our wishes again until Crystal Tokyo  
is formed. If it is formed," she said. "You said yourself the future will not  
be much different unless Usagi-chan dies."  
Kanshisha nodded, "That, I did say. I just have one question."  
"What's that?"  
"Where *is* Usagi-chan, and where are Setsuna-sama, Hotaru-chan,  
Haruka-san, and Michiru-sama?"  
  
*Tsukino Kanshisha=Guardian of the moon  
*kaihen=transformation 


End file.
